What key is "Hey Jude" in?

"Hey Jude" by The Beatles is in the key of Bb with a tempo of 68 BPM. Difficulty: medium.

Is "Hey Jude" easy to play on piano?

This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.

Can I play "Hey Jude" without reading sheet music?

Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.

What chords are used in "Hey Jude"?

This arrangement of "Hey Jude" uses 9 chords: Bb, Bbmaj7, C, C7, Cdom, Eb, F, F7, +1 more.

How long does it take to learn "Hey Jude" on piano?

2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.

What other songs by The Beatles can I play here?

Try "DAY TRIPPER", "PLEASE MR. POSTMAN", "SHE'S LEAVING HOME". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

Lyrics

Hey (F)Jude,

don’t make it (C)bad,

Take a (C11)sad song

and (C7)make it (F)bet ter.

Re (Bb)mem ber to let her in to your (F)heart,

Then you can start

to make it bet (F)ter.

Hey (F)Jude,

don’t be a (C)fraid.

You were (C11)made to

go (C7)out and (F)get her.

The (Bb)min ute you let her un der your (F)skin,

Then you be gin

to make it bet (F)ter.

And an y time you feel the pain Hey Jude

re frain

don’t car ry the world

up on

your shoul ders.

For well you know that it’s a fool Who plays

it cool

By mak ing his world

a lit tle cold er

da da da (F7)da da (C7)da da da da.

Hey (F)Jude,

don’t let me (C)down.

You have (C11)found her

now (C7)go and (F)get her.

Re (Bb)mem ber to let her in to your (F)heart,

Then you can start

to make it bet (F)ter.

So let it out and let it in.

Hey Jude

be gin

you’re wait ing for some

one to

per form with.

And don’t you know that it’s just fool Hey Jude

you’ll do.

The move ment you need

is on your shoul der.

da da da (F7)da da (C7)da da da da.

Hey

to make it bet ter, bet ter, bet ter, bet ter, bet ter, bet ter, oh.

da da (Eb)da da da da

(Bb)da da da da

Hey (F)Jude.

da da (Eb)da da da da

(Bb)da da da da

Hey (F)Jude.

Hey Jude by The Beatles

119 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of Bb at 68 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a great way to build your confidence with left-hand pedal bass — your left hand will anchor on repeated low notes while your right hand moves through the chord changes above, so start hands-separate to lock in that steady left-hand pulse before combining.

At 68 BPM you have breathing room, but don't let the slow tempo fool you: the transitions from Bb to C7 and especially into Gm7 can catch you off guard if you haven't mapped the finger moves in advance.

Drill the verse loop (Bb–F–C7–Bb) until it feels automatic, then tackle the bridge where Eb and F7 add color.

Watch your right-hand voicings on Bbmaj7 — keep your wrist relaxed and let that major-seventh note sing without tension.

The big singalong coda is repetitive by design, so use it as a stamina check: stay dynamically aware instead of going on autopilot.

This is the piece that'll solidify your comfort with dominant-seventh shapes across multiple keys, a skill that pays off in virtually every pop and rock song you'll play next.

About “Hey Jude”

What key is "Hey Jude" in?: "Hey Jude" by The Beatles is in the key of Bb with a tempo of 68 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "Hey Jude" easy to play on piano?: This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
Can I play "Hey Jude" without reading sheet music?: Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
What chords are used in "Hey Jude"?: This arrangement of "Hey Jude" uses 9 chords: Bb, Bbmaj7, C, C7, Cdom, Eb, F, F7, +1 more.
How long does it take to learn "Hey Jude" on piano?: 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
What other songs by The Beatles can I play here?: Try "DAY TRIPPER", "PLEASE MR. POSTMAN", "SHE'S LEAVING HOME". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.